Re: West Coast Irises

I usually have pretty good luck with the irises from the West Coast. The
first year is critical.  I have found that some of the cultivars from wet
west coast areas carry a botrytis with them and after planting them here (on
the east coast) the next spring they can turn black and die.  I think I've
finally solved the problem by dipping them in Benomyl when I receive them,
letting them dry out a few days and then plant them. I then drench them again
in the early spring.  The botrytis (Sclerotinia convoluta) is mentioned in
the World of Iris (page 339) and it said that it needs a long hot dry spell
to kill it. Apparently we get this dry spell (in zone 6 in the summer) and
they don't.  I wonder if they have problems with our east coast cultivars?  I
think that we need to give them several years to acclimate before we jump to
conclusions. If we have a hard time growing anything it is the laced
varieties.  The pink ones are next weakest

Ginny (looks like there are two of us now on iris-l but Ginny P is in zone 5)
Winterberry Gardens zone 6
northern Virgina
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